Stringed musical instrument



May 16, 1939. J, DQPYERA STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR; Lb/m op )1era May 16, 1939. J. DOPYERA- STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet `2 INVENTOR.

L/o/m Dopyera Filed Aug. 16, 1957 ATTORNY.

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE John Dopyera,

direct and mesne Dopyera, Rudolph Do Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by

assignments, to Emil pyera, Louis D opyera, and

Robert Dopyera, doing business under name Dopyera Brothers Application August 16,

5 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to improvement in stringed musical instrument.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel means for amplifying the sounds 6 produced by the strings of a musical instrument.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide novel apparatus for transmitting vibrationsy from the bridge to a resonator in aV stringed musical instrument.

Avfurther object of the invention is to provide a-stringed musical instrument including a plurality of resonators having novel rconnections to a bridge.

An additional object ofmy invention is to pro- 15 vide a novel resonator for use in a violin.

Other objects and the advantages of this invention will be apparent from. the following description taken in connection With the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a violin embodying the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan View of the violin shown in Fig. 1 with portions thereof removed and portions broken away; 25 Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5 A30 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the fulcrum members; and

Fig. '1 is an enlarged section taken on line 1-1 of' Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters I have indicated a violin embodying the features of -my invention generally at I0. As shown the violin I comprises a body I2 which may be made of wood and of the usual shape, a v4() neck I3 having the usual fret board I3' thereon, a tail piece I4, a bridge I and the usual strings I6, I1, I8 and I9. 'I'he body I2 includes aperipheral wall 20, a bottom. member 2I and a top member 22.

The top member 22 adjacent the neck end of the body has an aperture 23 therein and adjacent the tail end the body has an aperture 24 therein. Surrounding the apertures 23 and 24 on the underside of the top 22, I may provide a 50 reinforcing ring 25 and 26 and in the top miember surrounding the apertures 23 and 24, I provide recesses 21. As shown, the aperture 24 is of greater diameter than the aperture 23.

Positioned between the aperture 23 and 24, I 55 show a pair of spaced partition members 29 and 1937, .Serial No. 159,351

which extend transversely across the body I2 from side to side and from top to bottom..

Positioned in the aperture 23, I provide a metal resonator 3| and in the aperture 24, I provide a similar metal resonator 32. Each of the resonators 3l and 32 includes a peripheral foot or rim portion 33, a cancave portion 34 and a convex portion 35. The concave portion preferably includes a plurality of circumferential beads indicated at 36. On the underside of the convex portionv 35 at the center thereof I provide a thickened washer 31 having a bolt 38 extending therethrough and having a nut 39 thereon engaging the outer face of the resonator. The washer 31, the bolt 38 and the nut 39 are all preferably coatedrwith silicate of soda or similar material.

-The resonators 3l and 32 are positioned in their respective apertures with the foot portions 33 thereof positioned in the recesses 21 and with the convex portions extending outward. The

foot portions33 are preferably secured to the bottom of the recesses 21 as by a suitable adhesive and have a plurality of spaced apertures 40 therein.

Mounted on the resonator 3|, I provide a metal vibrator rod 4I and mounted on the resonator 32, I provide a similar rod 42. The rodv 4I is of greater length than the rod 42 but otherwise they are alike so but one will be described in detail. As shown the rod 42 includes an inter-fV mediate inverted V-shapedr portion -43, a solid securing end 44 having an aperture 45 therethrough and a solid bridge end 46 having spaced upstanding lips 41 and 48 thereon.

The lip 41 has a threaded aperture 49 therein in which a bolt 50 having a lock nut 5I thereon is positioned. Intermediate the end portions 44 and 46 on opposite sides of the rod I provide elongated recesses 52 (see Figs. 3 and'l). The aperture of the rod 42 receives the bolt 38 of the resonator 32 and is secured thereto by a nut 53. Likewise the rod- 4I is similarly secured to the resonator l3|.

To support the outer portions of the rods 4I and 42, I provide fulcrum support members 54 screw driver slot 62 therein. The bolts 5) are adapted to be locked in a set position by lock nuts 63 thereon. The plate portion 55 of the device 54 is positioned in a dovetailed recess 511 in a plate member 65. The member B5 rests on the top 22 of the body I2 and includes a depending leg GS which extends through an aperture 61 in the top 22 and is shown as secured to the partition 3l) by bolts and nuts 63.

Adjacent the end opposite the lugs 58 the plate 56 has a pair ol spaced elongated apertures 69 therein in which bolts 'it are positioned and extend into suitable threaded apertures in the member 55. Thus the Aiulcrum support member 54 can be moved relative to the plate G5 and clamped in an adjusted position by tightening the bolts lil.

When the rods 4i and "i2 and the support members 5@ and 55 are operatively assembled the pointed ends 5l of the bolts 6d are positioned in the recesses 52 of their associated rods as clearly shown in Fig. 7.

The bridge l5 is positioned on the ends 4% of the rods ll and 3;"2 between the lips L-'l and 8 and between the lips i1 and the bridge, clamp plates i2 are provided. The bolts 55* are tightened against the plates "s2 which in turn clamp the bridge against the lips thereby firmly securing the bridge on the rods.

Positioned over the resonators 3i and 32, I provide metal cover members 'i3 and le. Each of the covers i3 and i4 comprises a central convex portion "l5 and a peripheral foot portion lt. The convex portions 'l5 of the covers have a plurality of sound emitting apertures il therein and the foot portions l5 have a plurality of spaced apertures 'd3 therein matching the apertures 4! in the resonators. Furthermore, the covers have elongated apertures 'i9 therein to provide clearance for the rods @i and 42. The covers 73 `and 'M are shown as secured to the body i2 by a plurality of screws til which are positioned in the cover apertures 'i3 and the resonator apertures fill and enter the top 22 and the reinforcing rings 25 and Z. Thus the covers assist to secure their associated resonators to the body I2.

When the strings of the violin i@ are tightened they exert a downward pressure on the bridge l5 which in turn exerts a downward pressure on the outer ends i5 of the rods #il and 52 which due to the pivot bolts 6E! exert an upward 'pull on the resonators.

When the treble strings it and iii of the violin l are played they inuence the resonator 3l more than they do the resonator 32 and when the base strings it and lll are played they inuence the resonator more than they do the resonator 3l. Thus the resonator 3i is preferably constructed to respond to the treble vibrations and the resonator 32 is preferably constructed to respond to the base vibrations.

The partitions 2S and 3! form a dead air space between 'the resonators 3l and 32 thereby lessening the degree to which one resonator can set up sympathetic vibrations in the other.

like the covers 13 and I4 has a emitting apertures 8| The top 22 plurality of spaced round therein.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have provided a novel stringed musical instrument construction which is simple in construction and highly efficient in use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. For use in a musical instrument, a pair ol laterally spaced circular resonators, a bridge, means connecting said bridge and said resonators, said bridge being adapted to support playing strings, said connecting means being disposed nearer to the center of one resonator than the center of the other resonator so that the bridge affects one resonator more than the other.

2. For use in a musical instrument, a pair of laterally spaced resonators, a rod xed to the central portion of each of said resonators, said rods being of diferent lengths, a bridge, the end of one of said rods supporting one end of said bridge, the end of said other rod supporting the other end of said bridge and a pivotal support for each rod, said pivotal supports being located intermediate the length of each oi said rods and means to individually adjust the pivotal supports along the rods.

For use in a musical instrument, a pair of spaced apart resonators, a rod fixed to the central portion of each of said resonators, the rod "y on one resonator being directed towards the other resonator and the rod on the other resonator being directed towards the one resonator, the rod on one resonator being shorter than the other rod, a bridge, the ends of said rods supporting the ends of said bridge and a pivotal support disposed intermediate and adjustable along the length of said rods.

4. For use in a musical instrument, a pair of laterally spaced resonators, one of said resonators being larger than the other resonator, a rod fixed to the central portion of each or said resonators, each of said rods being directed towards the adjacent resonator, the rod on one resonator being shorter than the other rod, a bridge, the free end of one of said rods engaging one end of said bridge, the free end of said other rod engaging the other end of said bridge and a pivotal support disposed intermediate and adjustable along the length of said rods.

5. For use in a musical instrument, a pair of laterally spaced resonators, a rod iixed to the central portion of each of said resonators, said rods being disposed in substantially parallel relation, a bridge, the free end of one of said rods engaging one end of said bridge, the free end of said other rod engaging the other end of said bridge, a pair or fulcrum members, said members each including a base, said i'ulcrum having a pair of upstanding lugs thereon, said lugs having opposed apertures therein, pins threadedly engaging said apertures, said pins having pointed ends and said rods having opposed recesses receiving said pointed ends.

JOHN DOPYERA. 

